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MEDIA CONTACT

Suzanne Ruark
One Southern Indiana
Direct:  812.206.9050
Email:  suzanner@1si.org
 

New Albany, Ind. - (March 22, 2016) – One Southern Indiana (1si) announced the winners of its 28th annual ONE Awards, formerly the Southern Indiana Business Awards. The winners received recognition at a dinner held last Thursday at Huber’s Orchard, Winery & Vineyard’s Plantation Hall. More than 350 attendees celebrated the success of these local and regional businesses.

The program recognized finalists in seven business categories who were showcased in customized videos before representatives of each award’s sponsor announced the winners. Ninety percent of the nominees’ scores were evaluated by an independent panel of judges based on criteria of business history, community involvement, response to adversity, newly-created opportunities, and innovation in products or services. The last ten percent was decided by online voting through social media.

Wendy Dant Chesser, president and CEO of 1si, commented, “As always, the caliber of nominees was top-notch and the competition was fierce with the winner of one category coming down to the online vote. The evening was a testament to the robust businesses in our region with many One Southern Indiana member businesses and individuals receiving recognition they richly deserve.” Awards for individuals are now recognized at the ACE Awards, which takes place in November.

Dant Chesser also spoke about the importance of partnerships and seizing opportunities when they present themselves in her remarks. She highlighted the Opportunity Knox initiative as one way 1si and its partners from the Kentucky Indiana Exchange, Greater Louisville Inc. and the Hardin County Chamber are working together to connect 10,000 transitioning veterans and/or military spouses to jobs in the greater Louisville region by the end of 2017. During the event, two veterans, who were guests of One Southern Indiana, were introduced to the crowd and thanked for their service. In the first year of the partnership, more than 2,600 recently transitioned veterans have been connected to positions throughout the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).

Congratulations to the 2016 winners:

• The City of Jeffersonville, Indiana, winner of the Brown-Forman Corporation Diversity Champion ONE Award;
• Baptist Health, winner of the Wellness Coalition of Southern Indiana Growing Healthy Lives ONE Award;
• J. Knipper and Company, Inc., winner of the Stites & Harbison, PLLC Economic Development Impact Project of the Year ONE Award;
• Beach Mold & Tool, Inc., winner of the new Business Retention and Expansion Project of the Year ONE Award;
• Extol Magazine, winner of the Strothman and Company, PSC Rising Star ONE Award;
• The News and Tribune, winner of the River Valley Financial Bank, a division of German American Bank, Business of the Year ONE Award for companies with 50 or fewer employees; and
• Centra Credit Union, winner of the Park Community Credit Union Business of the Year ONE Award for companies with 51 or more employees.

One Southern Indiana’s Business Awards Program sponsors are listed as follows:

Platinum Sponsors

• Brown-Forman Corporation
• Park Community Credit Union
• River Valley Financial Bank, a division of German American Bank
• Stites & Harbison, PLLC
• Strothman and Company, PSC
• The Wellness Coalition of Southern Indiana

Gold Sponsors

• Lloyd’s Florist
• Louisville Business First
• MCM CPAs & Advisors
• The Marketing Company
• Nu-Yale
• PNC Bank
• Sounds Unlimited Productions
• Your Community Bank

Silver Sponsors

• Centra Credit Union
• Derby Dinner Playhouse
• Harding, Shymanski & Co., P.S.C.
• L & D Mail Masters, Inc.
• Morris Images, LLC

Bronze Sponsors

• LL&A Interior Design
• Office and Business Resources
• Ticket to Ride

Iron Sponsor

• Kentuckiana Broadcast Group

Cocktail Reception Sponsor

• Huber’s Orchard, Winery & Vineyards

About One Southern Indiana:
One Southern Indiana (1si) was formed in July of 2006 as the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development organization serving Clark and Floyd Counties. 1si’s mission is to provide the connections, resources and services that help businesses innovate and thrive in the Southern Indiana/Louisville metro area.

Since its inception, the organization has evolved to include a three-prong approach to serve its members and investors. Business Resources, as the chamber side of the organization, encompasses membership, signature events and programs which support and encourage business growth; Economic Development works to grow the regional economy through the attraction of new commerce and assists with retention and expansion of existing businesses; Advocacy supports businesses at the government level by engaging in initiatives to preserve, protect and promote a business friendly environment free of obstacles to growth and development of commerce.



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 TO VIEW A SLIDESHOW OF THE ONE AWARDS CLICK HERE
Photos by Morris Images